The present patent application relates to a refrigerated counter for bars, pastry or ice cream shops equipped with optical fibre internal lighting system. The use of optical fibres to illuminate the shelves of similar counters is particularly interesting, since the light emitted by the optical fibres isxe2x80x9ccoldxe2x80x9d, that is to say has no thermal energy emission, unlike the light produced by traditional neon lamps.
Since neon lamps produce a considerable amount of heat, refrigerated counters are always provided with cooling system including heat exchangers located near each neon lamp, in order to absorb the thermal energy emitted by the lamps. This is done in order to avoid the expensive over-dimensioning of the refrigerator unit used to control and adjust the air temperature inside the display compartment of the counter.
The use of the optical fibre lighting system avoids the need for a cooling system, making the counter construction easier and less expensive. Notwithstanding the above, optical fibres are not used in the shelves of refrigerated counters, due to the difficulties encountered to illuminate the shelves with satisfactory intensity and uniformity.
As it is known, while neon lamps emit diffused light that irradiates in all directions, the xe2x80x9ccoldxe2x80x9d light emitted by optical fibres is a punctual light, meaning that light irradiates in space according to a light cone, with the vertex positioned on the luminous end of the optical fibre.
This obviously results in a series of problems, with reference to the number and position of the optical fibres, in order to illuminate the entire surface of the counter with a contiguous series of light cones.
In other words, the optical fibre lighting system for counters used in bars, pastry or ice cream shops, bakeries or delicatessen stores must guarantee the necessary lighting on all display surfaces, without disturbing the operator or customer. Moreover, since the volume of the illuminator must be reduced due to the limited space under the display compartment, the dimensions of the lighting system must be optimised, in order to use the lowest possible number of optical fibres, while guaranteeing satisfactory uniform lighting on all display surfaces.
The purpose of the invention is to provide a solution to the aforementioned problem, by studying the geometrical configuration of the shelves and the orientation of the optical fibres above each shelf, in order to ensure satisfactory lighting on all display areas.